First Female Governor-General for Australia

For the first time in 107 years, Australia will have a woman appointed to the position of Governor-General when incumbent Governor-General Michael Jeffery retires in September.

It is understood prominent lawyer, academic and women's activist Quentin Bryce will be appointed by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to be the Queen's representative in Australia.

Currently Governor of Queensland, Australia's next Governor-General will be the country's 25th.

Across the Tasman, New Zealand had its first female Governor-General 18 years earlier when Dame Catherine Tizard was named the country's Queen's representative. She was Governor-General from 1990 to 1996.

Not only was she New Zealand's first female Governor-General but she was also the first female mayor of Auckland.

From 2001 to 2006, another woman, Dame Silvia Cartwright, was New Zealand Governor-General.

For brief periods before and after Dame Silvia Cartwright's incumbency, New Zealand Chief Justice Dame Sian Seerpoohl Elias acted as Governor-General of New Zealand.

Photo: Queensland Governor Quentin Bryce in Los Angeles during G'Day LA Australia Week 2005 (Vince Bucci / Getty Images)